Moroccan Spiced Chicken Skewers
(Makes 4 full chicken breasts)
Chicken + marinade
1 shallot
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup Ras el Hanout spice
1 cup canola oil
4 chicken breasts (cut into strips or dice for kebabs)
Preparation
Place all marinade ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Marinate chicken for several hours, or overnight for best results. Skewer the chicken (if using wood skewers, be sure to soak them first) and grill over wood or charcoal for the best flavor.
Couscous
2 cups uncooked Israeli couscous (also called pearl pasta)
½ cup raisins, soaked in hot water
½ cup cucumber, small dice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
4 leaves, mint, finely chopped
Preparation
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add 1 tbsp. of salt, then add the raw couscous and cook for 6 minutes. Drain the couscous and rinse with cold water until cool. Coat the pasta with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Yogurt dipping sauce
1 cup plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened
2 tbsp. mango nectar (found in Hispanic foods section)
2 tsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Mix all ingredients and season to taste.
